Electric igniting device for explosive-engines.



, E. P. GOWLES.

BLBGTMG GNlTING DEVIGB FOR BXPLQSWE ENGINES,

AIPLIGATION FILED MAY 12, 1902.

Patented Jan, 7, 1913. l

s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Qvnemca E. P. GGWLBS. ELEGTRIG IGNTING DEVICE FOB. EXPLOSVE ENG-INES.

APPLICATION VFILED MAY 12, 1902.

s SHEETS-famme.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

E. P. GOWLBS. LEGTRC IGNTXNG DEUGB POR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APLIATON FILED 'MAY 12, 1902,

Patented Jan. 7, 1918.

3 SHEETSASHEET 3.

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W WMM EDWARD P. COWLES, OF SPARTA, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC IGNITING DEVICE FOREXPLOSIVE-ENl GINES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

. Patented Jan. 7 1913.

Applcationled May 12, 1902. Seri-a1 No. 108,947.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD P. CowLEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sparta, in the county of Kent and Stateof Michigan, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Igniting Devices for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric igniting devices for gas engines and it comprises an elect-ric generator, one part of which is stationary, the. other part of said generator being mounted upon the balance-Wheel or other moving part of the engine and arranged to be carried thereby into inductive relation to the stationary part of the generator at the proper time to generate the required current forproducing the igniting spark. The part of the generator in which the sparkproducing current is induced is stationary, or nearly so, with respect to the electrodes in the combustion chamber` and sliding contacts are therefore unnecessary, except in certain types of multi-cylinder engines, wherein it is desired to switch the current to different cylinders, in which case, of course, a periodically movable switch is required as herein explained. I

The invention also comprises means for automatically regulating t-he time of ignition to properly correspond with the speed of the engine-and for automatically regulating the inductive relation between the parts of the generator to compensate for changes in speed in order to `provide a current of substantially uniform intensity at different speeds.

The invention further comprises means for maintaining the strength of the permanent magnets and for preserving the residual magnetism in the electro-magnets employed, and means for operating the electrodes in the combustion chamber with precision. A 4

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the inventionr Figure 1 is a view Y:so

showing my improvements a plied to and operated` by the balance-whee of a gas engine, the rim of the wheel being'shown in'` vcentral section; Fig. 2 is a section on the line A-,-A of Fig. l; Figs. 3 and 4 are views illustrating the manner in which the permanent and residual magnetism are maintained in the magnets; Fig. 5 is a View showing thexed'part of the generator arranged at the side of the balance-wheel instead of opposite its face or periphery; Fig. 6 1s a view showing the igniting devicejapplied; to a multi-cylinder engine in which the shaft is stationar and the cylinder and casing revolve; Fig. is a view illustrating a generator with an electro-magnettsubstituted for the permanent magnet; Fig. 8 is arear View of the switch illustrated in Fig. 6 and the operating mechanism therefor; and F ig. 9 is a central section through the same.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a indicates the fly-wheel of a gas engine which is secured to a crank-shaft 2, and 3 indicates one of the bearings for said shaft. The rim 4 of the tiy wheel is preferably connected to the hub by a yweb 5 which forms a partial housing for parts ofthe igniting mechanism.l The hub 6 of the fly-wheel has an eccentric portion 7 suITounding which is a collar or strap 8, the latter being'part of a governing lever b having arms 9 and 10 project-ing radially in opposite directions. The strap is preferably mounted upon a ball bearing, the balls being held in place by a retainer '1 attached to the strap. The arm 9 projects into a slo-t 11 in the ri-m of the balance-wheel which slot extends in the plane of the wheel through an angle of about degrees, and one part o of a magneto-generator is carried upon the end of said arm and movable therewith within the slot. A groove or recess 12 is formed in the rim diametrically opposite the slot 11 and a weight 13 upon the arm 1'0, which counterbalances the part. o of the generaboryis movable within this groove. y

The position of the governing lever is automatically controlled while the machine is in operation by weighted arms-14 which are -pivoted to the wheel and connected by links 15 to the governing lever, these weighted arms acting in oppositionto springs 16 which tend to hold the le'ver in theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The positions of the parts at full speedvareindicated in dotted lines. The movement of the governingA lever is controlled by the springs and weighted levers in the same manner as such devices'are-employed to shift the eccentric in automatic steam engines, and the purpose of this shiftingl will be hereinafter more fullyl explained.

T e generator consists of the part4 c rotatable with the fly-wheel and a fixed part d arrangedadjacent to the' ily-wheel so that 45 in which is transmitted to coils upon the prithe part c will -be brought into inductive relation therewithl by the rot-ation of the ily-wheel at the proper instant toproduce a spark in the'conibustion chamber of the engine. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2-of1the drawing the part al of the generator consists of a permanent magnet 17, a secondary electro-magnet 1S and an intermediate secondary generating coil 19, the terminals of which are connected bywires 'and 21 to f the sparking device ve. The electro-magnet with the secondary generating coil -19 whenv the coil 22 is opposite the perman nt magnet 17. A tertiary generating coil 2f-1 is also arranged upon the arm 9 and adapted to cut the lines of force set up by the secondary electro-magnet 18 when the magnets 17 and 2 3 are opposite the coils 22 and 19.

In operation when the fly-wheel is moving in the direction'iiidicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, and the parts oiA the generator are oppcsiteas shown in said figure a current is induced in the primary coil 22 while passing under the `permanent 'magnet 17 which current Hows around the coils of the primary electro-magnet 23, energizing the latter which induces a current in the secondary generating coil 19, which current is transmitted to the sparking device. A portion oi' this secondary current passingA around the secondary electro-magnet 18 energizes the latter, and the generating coil 24 which is at that moment cutting the lines ot force in-the secondary electro-magnet has a tertiary current generated theremary electro-magnet 23, thus augmenting thepower of said magnet and the induced current in the secondary coil 19.

The two parts of the "generator are ar ranged so that the pole pieces will )ust clear the coils when the governing lever is in the `position relatively to the wheel shown in Fig. "1. This is the position of the lever when the gas engine is stopped or moving slowly and the air gap between the lpole pieces and coils is at a'I minimum. As the inductive eitect, and consequently the intensity of the current would increase pro portionately with the speed if the two parts of the generator always maintainedy the' same,relation, it is desirable to vary the relation between the moving and stationary parts to compensate the changes in speed in order to obtain a current of substantially the same intensity at all speeds. accomplished by mounting the governing lever eccentricallf,7 in the manner hereto- 'tore described so that with an increase in speed oi' the fly-wheel the arm 9 ycarrying the part c olf the generator will move ra- This is i dially inward as indicated in dotted lines,

Fig. 1, thus increasing the Awidth of the air gap between the parts of the generator and decreasing the strengths ot' the mag-l` netic fields-as the speed increases.v The number of lines of torce cut bythe coils per second will ltherefore be substantially the saine at different speeds.

In startingthe engine it is desirable to I create the spark within tlieexplosion chamber after the crank has passed the center at the commencement oit the forward stroke,

` and as the speed of the engine increases itis desirable to advance the time of ignition so that the explosion will take place earlier.

As the governing lever carrying the movable part of thegencrator, swings Iforward when the speed of the engine increases as 'indicated in dotted lines Fig. 1, itv will be seen that the two parts of the generator will co-act at an earlier portion of the stroke when operated at high speed than when operating at low speeds and the time of eX- plosion will thus be automatically regulated by the movement ot the governing lever.

lVlien the stationary part of thegenerator is arranged opposite the face of the wheelas shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the movable part may be inclosed laterally by a. ring 25. Instead of arranging the stationary part opposite the face of the wheel it may be arranged at the side of the rim as indicated in Fig. 7.

-The stationaryA part in Fig. 1 is carried by a lixed support 66, suitably connected to the motor frame. A steel band 26, extends around the periphery o the wheel and very close thereto. This band may be supported in any suitable way as lby means of the lugs 27 attached to suitable supports. Said band serves as a keeper for the electro-magnet 23, the polar tace of which lies flush or nearly iusli with the periphery of the wheel. The ring therefore tends to preserve the residual magnetism inthe electro-magnet core. Fig. 1 illustrates the relation between the magnet core and the ring after the two parts of the generator have separated. rl`he periphery of the wheel at every point, except opposite the slot 1l, also serves as a keeper for the permanent magnet 17 and the secondary electro-magnet 1S, as will be readily seen from an inspection of Fig. 3. ln order to further preserve the permanent and residual magnetism of the magnets the similar poles of the ixed magnets 17 and 1S are arranged at the samesides of the wheel and the poles of the magnet 23 are reversed with relation tothe fixed poles in order, that the mutual described apparatus.

In Fig. (i I have 'shown my igniting generator applied to an engine having a numbei' of cylinders which revolve with the casing about a stationary shaft and constitute in ettect a fly wheel. In this case, the arrangement ot' the generator parts c and d is just the reverse of that shown in the previously described figures, the part d being movable and the part cbeing stat-ionary. In this instance also, which shows a fourcyliiider engine, requiring two ignitions in each revolution, a generator part d2 takes the place of the weight 13 in Fig. l, and the two parts d and Z2 co-act successively with' the part c', causing a current impulse at each half revolution. An iron or steel band `2G, which may be a part of the motor casas a keeper for the movable magnets.

The arm upon which the generator parts d aiid (Z2 are carried is rotatable with the cylinders and is eccentrically mounted upon the hub of the casing and automatically adjustable by means of a centrifugal governor, in the same manner as the 'arm b in Fig. l and a detailed illustration ot the mounting of said lever b is therefore unnecessary. E The cylinders 40, 41, 42 and 43, as shown, are radially arranged upon the central casing-' and each cylinder is'provided with a suitable sparking plug 44. Arranged upon the casing in circles concentric with the shaft, and 9() degrees apart, are four pairs 'of contact points or blocks 45, 46, 47 and 4S, said pairs: being connected by suitable wires 49 to' the electrodes of the sparking plugs in the cylinders 40, 4l', 42 and 43, respectively'. As shown, these Contact points are arranged centrally opposite the cylinders. Midway between the contacts 45 and 47 is arranged a pair of contact points 50 to which the terminals of the generator part Z are connected by wiresl and diainetrically opposite the contacts 50 is arranged a pair of contacts 52 which are connected to the terminals of the generating part (Z2 by wires 53. The contacts 50 and 52 are arranged at the same"V radial distance from the center of the shaft as the contacts 45 to 48 inclusive. Rotatably mounted upon a fixed bearing 54 upon t-he stationary shaft is a spider 55, having four arms 56, 57, 58 and 59 at equal distances apart. Each arm carries a pair of contact strips 60, properly insulatet. from the spider and from one another. These contacts areY arcuate in form and about 45 degrees in length so that they will bridge the distance between the coning, extendsaround the cylinders, serving- 1 some of tacts 50 and 52 and the adjacent contacts connected to the sparking plugs. The switch is shifted periodically in order to switch the current to the cylinders to cause explosion therein in the proper order. For this purpose 'a gear 'G1 is secured to the spider which gear meshes with a pinion 62 mounted upon a stud 63 said pinion being rotatable with a star-Wheel 64 also mounted upon saidstud. The stud is secured to the casing and the star-wheel and pinion are thus carried about the fixed shaft. Secured by an arm 54EL to the fixed shaft is a pin 65 which engages with an arm upon the. starwheel at each revolution and turns thelatter thereby moving the' switch. In'the present instance the gears are arranged so that for eight revolutions of the engine the switch will make one complete rotation.

The yoperation is as follows: When the parts are in the position shown' in Fig. 6 a current generated in the part d of the generator will pass through the contacts 50 and 45 to the sparking plug in the cylinder 40 .During the succeeding half revolution an arm of the star-wheel will engage the pin 65 and t-he spider will be given a oneeighth revolution Yin the direction indicated by the arrow, thus breaking the connections between points 50 and 45 and 52 and 46 and establishing connection between the points 50 and 47 and 52 and 48. The nexttime the generator parts fl comes into action therefore current will be transmitted to the sparking plug in the cylinder 42 and at the completion of t-he succeeding half revolution a current will be transmitted from the generator part d2 to the plugin the cylinder 43; the switch will then be shiftedianother one-eighth revolution and will again bridge the contacts 50 and 45 and the contacts 52 and 46 as shown in the figure. This cycle of operations will continue as ong as the engine is in operation.

It is obvious that a different number or arrangement of cylinders ora different' number of cranks would require a different arrangement or modicatlon from that shown, also that in a single cylinder engine one more current impulse would be generated than is necessary in which latter case the generator circuit might be short-circuited during 'one impulse. The switch devices may'be variously arranged and operated.

The magnets and coils composing the generator may also be variously arranged and of less intensity is required. .Instead of arthem may be omitted where a spark ranging the devioescomposing each genera# The electro-magnet 18 and generating coil- 24 may be omitted from the generator shown A in Figs. l, 2 and 8, or 'the permanent magnet may. be used in conjunction with a single generating coil, the latter being i'n substantially xed relation to thesparking plug, so that sliding connections will be unnecessary.

ln Fig. 7 l have illustrated a generator in which the magnet 18 and generating coil 23 above mentioned are omitted, and vin which an electromagnet 17a, connected to a battery 69 is substituted forv the permanent magnet. In every instance, it will be noted, sliding contacts' between the two parts of the generator, and between the generator and sparking plug are unnecessary.

Hav-ing thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,"is y 1. In an electric igniter for explosive engines, the eombina'tionwith the engine iiy- Wheel anda generator comprising a stationary member andamember rotatable with the tty-wheel andadaptedto be carried into and ont of inductive relation with the sta-l tionary member, of means 'for automatically varying thetime' when said members are brought into inductive relation` relative` to the time lof commencement of the engine stroke, comprising a governing lever rotatablewith the ily-wheel and upon which y said movable memberis mounted, and a cen- ,trifugally operatedgoverning device connectedltosaid governing lever. 2. In an electric igniter for explosive engines, the combination of a generator, comprising a stationary membery and a movable memberconnected with a rotatable part of the engine and adapted to be carried there-l by into inductive relation tothel stationary member once only during each revolution ot' said rotatable member, and means for automatically adjusting said movable member of the generator' relative yto said rotata-- ble part of the engine to bring said rotary generator member into inductive relation.

with the stationary member at dii'erent points in its revolution in accordance with variations in the speed of the engine, substantially as described.

3. In an electric igniter for explosive engines, the combination with the enginel flywheel and agenerator comprising a stationary member and ainember rotatable with the iy-Wheel and adapted to be carried into rosanna Iand out of inductive relation with the stationary member, of means for automatically increasing the a1r-gap .between said mem- .bers as the speed increases, comprising an eccentrically mounted governing lever rotatable with the fly-wheel and upon whichv said rotatable member is carried, and a centrifugally-operated governing device connected to said governing lever.. Y

4. In an electric igniter for gas engines, a magneto generator comprising two parts connected-to relatively movable portions of a gas engine, one of said parts comprising a permanent magnet and a secondary generati l ing coil and the other part comprising a pr1- mary generating coil arranged to co-act'with the permanent magnet and 'a primary electro-magnet connected to the primary generating coil and arranged to co-act with the secondary generating coil.

5. ln an electric .ignter for gas engines, a generator comprising two parts connected to relatively movable portions of' a gas engine, one of said'parts comprising a permanent magnet, a secondary generating coil, and a secondary electro-magnet connected to said'coil, and the other part comprising a primary generating coil arranged to cofact with the permanent magnet, a primary elecf tro-magnet connected to the primary` generating coil and arranged to co-act with the secondary generating coil, and a tertiary generating coil arranged to co-act with the secondary electro-1nagnet and connected to coils upon the primary electromagnct.

6. The combination with a gas engine hav-, ing a plurality ot rotatable cylinders, each cylinder having a sparking device therein,

or' an electric generator' consisting of a fixed part and a plurality of movable parts rotatable with the cylinders, each movable part having a generating coil and an automatic switching device arranged to switch the current from said coils to the sparking devices in the cylinder successively.

7. In aggas engine igniter the combination with a fly-wheel, of an electric generator one partof which comprises one or more magnets rotatable with the flywheel, the other part being fixed. and an iron or steel .band adjacent to the ily wheel and serving as a keeper for the magnet or magnets of the movable part of the generator. l

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature 1n presence or' two witnesses.

EDV/Hilti) P. COVVLES,

Witnesses:

l/VILLIAM l/V. DRAY, S. B. CRAIG.

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